So you have a new podcast. You want to make sure the right people are listening to it. Building your audience is the exciting part. It allows interested listeners to join your conversations!
Let’s take a minute to look at podcast listeners in two categories;
- those who already listen to podcasts
- those who do not already listen to podcasts
Both types of potential listeners are important to your overall audience, but how you target them will be different.
1)The good thing about people who already listen to podcasts is that there are millions of them! Most podcast listeners listen to 7-13 shows per week. The trick is getting your show in one of those spots.
Vying for a spot in a podcast listener’s queue is simple.
-Share your show through social media posts.
-Accurately tag your posts so that listeners can search for it through keywords.
-Make sure your show title and episode titles accurately depict what people can expect to hear on your podcast. This way they can easily find your show when your content is what they are looking for.
-appear on other podcasts and share those episodes
-bring guests from other shows onto your podcast
2) How do you convert people who aren’t podcast fans into podcast listeners?
The key to attracting these listeners is creating content so attractive that people are willing to give podcasts a try. In order to do so, you must reach potential listeners in the spaces they already inhabit.
-LinkedIn is an optimum space because most professionals are already plugged in there. The digital content you already share on these platforms fits right in with the nature of podcasting posts. Sharing your podcast on a platform people frequent every day, sometimes multiple times a day is a surefire way of getting them to notice your show
-the same goes for other social media platforms such a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
However, it is not enough just to announce the existence of your show. For instance, telling followers “Episode 6 is now live” is great for already loyal listeners, but not so much for the others. You have to hook them by teasing the content, not the medium itself. Instead, try something like; “Transferable skills are the new golden ticket to employment. Find out what they are and how to use them in our latest episode.” This excites your audience about the subject matter. They now have an interest in moving forward with clicking on that link to your show, because they are itching to hear what you are going to say. Simply telling them you made another episode is not exciting enough to incite a listen.
Try thinking outside of the box with podcast promotion placement. The spaces you already occupy and attract attention should also feature your podcast. Websites, email blasts, brochures, even meetings, are all important places to attract listeners. Get creative, and get to it!
